Mass. lawmakers seek to toughen driving laws for teens by raising age to 17 1/2

BOSTON (AP) _ Massachusetts lawmakers are considering raising the state's driving age to a nation high of 17 1/2. <br/><br/>The legislation, proposed in response to a recent spate of fatal accidents

Tuesday, March 28th 2006, 2:26 pm

By: News On 6

BOSTON (AP) _ Massachusetts lawmakers are considering raising the state's driving age to a nation high of 17 1/2.

The legislation, proposed in response to a recent spate of fatal accidents involving young drivers, could be voted on as early as this week.

The proposal would raise the age at which teens can receive licenses from the current age of 16 1/2, and would double the duration of learner's permits to one year. It would also raise the minimum age at which a teen can get a learner's permit by six months, to 16 1/2.

The proposal also would require teens with learner's permits to log 50 hours of driving under the supervision of a parent or guardian, including 10 hours in winter and 10 at night.

New Jersey teens currently have to wait the longest, to age 17, to get their drivers' licenses. Kentucky lawmakers also recently passed a bill increasing the age to 17.